Monthly Archives: October 2010

Generally speaking, I wouldn’t travel to a different country for a half pipe (or indoor wooden street) contest. However, pay my transportation and give me a 5 star hotel to crash in for 3 days to photograph and party with some of the best skateboarders in Europe, and without hesitation, I’m there. Another real attraction to trek down to Basel, Switzerland for the weekend is the Black Cross Bowl: another one of Pontus Alv’s creations. We’ll save those photos + video for the next post, but for now, here’s 3 days of lurking on the deck of the ramp in the sun, edited down to 7 long minutes (but the best footage is at the end so you should watch it all).

I could go on to write about seeing some famous DJ (?Shadow? who I thought sucked), lurking with Brits, Belgians, Norwegians, Swedes, Spanish, Basques, French, and Germans until the wee hours of the night… or watching a pack of drunk skaters heading to a bar the last night and Jarne Verbruggen running up the top of a 15 stair and 180ing it without 1 minute of hesitation (he landed it but didn’t roll away, twice). That was punk. But… it was mostly chillin’ at the skate contest, filming, drinking beers, not sleeping much, free breakfast, and back to the contest and after party (repeat). Here’s some photos and my video wrap up of the 1/2 pipe contest with live soundtrack by the Lombego Surfers. Black Cross Bowl coming next. Stay tuned….out.

Julien Benoliel (FRANCE) disaster on the vert wall

Tim Bijsterveld (NETHERLANDS) boneless off the vert wall.

Lucas Halter (SWITZERLAND) backside grab transfer, high to low

Freddy Austbo (NORWAY) tucknee transfer

Ivan Federico (ITALY) lien to tail on the vert

Julian Dykmans (BELGIUM) ollie transfer.

Danger Dave Martelieur (BELGIUM) Rock n Roll on the vert

Julien Benoliel (FRANCE) smith grind on the box.

Ross McGouran (ENGLAND) ollie transfer

Freddy Austbo (NORWAY), Crail on the vert

David Martelieur (BELGIUM) finds himself a solo session on the half pipe during the street contest with a floaty backside air.

Lombego Surfers, jamming out at the end of the day, rampside. (check www.myspace.com/thelombegosurfers)

Lombego Surfers (from Switzerland) surf guitar rocked out the first night on the edge of the half pipe.